Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid does not plan to attend the Burning Man annual gathering, which kicks off Sunday in the Black Rock Desert in his home state of Nevada.

The Democratic senator was actually asked about possibly visiting the event during a wide-ranging interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal which was posted online late Tuesday.

"Well, you know, I need to lose a few pounds before I strip off, so I don't think I'll do that," Reid told the Gazette-Journal editorial board.

"Maybe 60 years ago I would have tried it, but my physique is not as I want it to be anymore," Reid said. "I've proven that every morning when I shower and look in the mirror."

It's fair to say that Reid was significantly more athletic in his younger years as an amateur boxer.

Burning Man participants will gather in the Nevada desert from Sunday until September 5 for a week of art and self-reliance. And, as the minority leader mentioned, it is clothing-optional and nudity is common.